Ceiling panel with prefabricated valved ports for controlled air circulation



Dec. 1964 w. M. ERICSON 3,159,092

CEILING PANEL WITH PR EFABRICATED VA D PCRTS FOR CONTROLLED CIRCULAT Filed Feb. 1962 flfjclg. 6

INVENTOR.

W/w. r52 M 58/65 A rraewe s United States Patent CEILHJG PANEL WITH PREFABRICATED VALVE!) PGRTS FOR QONTRQLLEDAIR QZRCULATHGN Walter M. Erieson, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor, by mesne assignments, to United States Gypsum Company, a corporation of illinois Filed Feb. 1, 1962, Ser. No. 170,327

' 9 Claims. (Cl. 98-40) This invention relates to a ceiling panel with prefabricated valved ports for controlled air circulation.

A panel or tile embodying the invention is particularly intended for use in air conditioning, ventilating or heating systems in which air is supplied through a plenum chamher. The invention also includes the method of making the valved panel.

As illustrated, the panel comprises a conventional ceiling tilebut it is characterized herein as a panel because its form and size are not important.

It has been found desirable in controlled ceiling ventilation systems to have ports paired in close proximity. It is convenient to provide one pair of such ports in an area that happens to be the area of a standard tile, which accounts for the fact that the panel is illustrated in th form of a conventional x 12" x 12" tile.

According to preferred practice of the present invention, a single valve controls both of the paired ports concurrently. It comprises a ported valve casing in the form of an elongated shallow inverted cup and having a side wall or marginal flange of less height than the thickness of the panel. A valve slide is assembled within the cup to be reciprocable across the ports therein and one or more operating handles in the form of flanges depending from the slide valve toward the plane of the free margins of the side walls of the inverted cup.

The panel or tile is desirably composed of insulating material which hasa relatively loose bond and into which the margins of the cup may be forced by pressure. Portions of the material of the panel which will lie within the inverted cup when the latter is driven into the upper surface of the panel are previously drilled and/or routed away to provide air delivery openings in the form of narrow parallel slots. Preferably, the material is counterbored to form a shoulder around each such opening. Tools which may conveniently be used for this purpose are illustrated. The organization is completed by simply driving the pre-assembled cup and slide valve into the panel from above.

The panel may be made of a Wide variety of materials but preferably includes a fibrous or granular material such as wood fiber or asbestos fiber or rock wool or mixtures of such materials loosely bonded adhesively. Friction between the cup margins and the material of the panel will retain the cup in unitary assembly with the panel. When first inserted, the slide will be clamped under pressure between the base of the cup and the panel but the first operation of the slide will displace enough of the fiber to permit the slide to move freely thereafter.

Both the initial operation and any desired subsequent ad-, justment of the slide canbe effected from the exposed or lower face of the panel by reaching through one of the' slots of the panel to engage a handle flange of the slide.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective showing a panel assembly embodying the invention, the face exposed being the upper face which is normally at the plenum chamber side of the panel and is concealed when the panel is installed. v

FIG. 2 is a perspective view. of the panel in FIG. 1 as it appears from below, the face illustrated being the face which is normally exposed when the panel is installed.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail view taken in section on the line 3--3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a detail view taken in section on 4-4 of H6. 3.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged'detail view in perspective illustrating the valve assembly as viewed from above.

FIG. 6 is a view in perspective showing an inverted valve assembly.

' FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of a panel ported to receive a valve housing cup assembly of the type shown in FIGS. 5 and6, the ported tools and panel being fragmentarily illustrated.

FIG. 8 is' a fragmentary detail view in the plane indicated at 8-8 in FIG. 7 showing the relationship between a routing tool and a panel during the porting of the panel.

As already indicated, a panel 10 embodying the invention preferably comprises a ceiling tile of generally conventional form and size and composition. With reference to composition, the panel is preferably made of a loosely bonded felted material because the cup-shaped valve housing and valve assembly as hereinafter described can be driven into place in such a loosely bonded panel without requiring any previous machining to make a pocket therefor. a

In the preferred procedure, a pair of rotating identical tools 12 are driven through panel 10. Each tool comprises differentially diametered drill and router portions 14 and 16. When the relative movement between a tool and the panel is in a direction axially of the tool, the portion 14 of the tool will pass through the lower face 18 of the panel in the position indicated in broken lines in FIG. 8. Thereupon relative movement between the panel and the tools will be effected in a direction normal to the tool axes and to a line drawn between the tools. This relative movement will result in the relationship shown in full lines in FIG. 8, the relative movement having produced a pair of narrow slots 20 opening through the lower face 18 of the panel and wider slots 22 opening upwardly. Thereupon the relative axial movement is reversed in a direction to withdraw the tools from the panel as shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 7 shows in broken lines at 24 the location at which the marginal flange of the cup-shaped valve housing will be driven as hereinafter described.

The valve assembly is separately illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. The valve housing 26 comprises a shallow cup the line .with a slotted base 27 and a continuous marginal flange at 23 which may have parallel sides 34 and rounded ends as clearly shown. Portions of the side walls 34 are pressed inwardly at 42, forming ribs which overlie the side flanges 32 of the valve slide 30 to confine the slide for reciprocation longitudinally of the housing. The ribs 42 and the side Wall portions 34 of the housing flange 28 form a Way for such reciprocation.

Valve 30 comprises a separately fabricated slide having side flanges 32 which are spaced to engage the inner surfaces of the side Wall portions 34 of flange 2S.- There are also manipulating flanges '36 and 38 on the valve slide. As will be. shown, these are accessible through the air discharge slots 20 of panel 10. The handle flange 36 is turned up at the end of the slide 3%) whereas the handle flange 38 is formed by some of the material of the slide stamped from an opening 49 formed in the slide.

The prefabricated assembly of the valve slide 30 and the housing cup 26 is driven into the panel 10 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The side flange 28 penetrates the panel along the broken line 24 of FIG. 7. There is no 3 air delivery openings 20 from the lower face 18 of the panel can be used to engage either of the handle flanges 36 or 38 (only one handle flange is necessary) to re ciprocate the valve slide. Initially, the frictional engagesaid projections forming guideways; and a valve slide in preassembled relation with said housing and overlying the surface of said ported base from which said marginal flange extends, marginal portions of said slide being merit of the housing "flange 28 with the material of the 5 slidably disposed within's'a'id guideways whereby said slide panel in which it is imbedded-will clamp the valve slide is selectively movable independently of said housing and rather tightly but this loosens 'up with the first reciproonly in a plane parallel to said housing base surface to cation of the slide, the material of the panel being so effect opening and closing of said base port; said flange loosely bound that the slide reciprocation will dislodge having portions thereof extending into the path of moveany of such material which resists slide reciprocation. ment of said slide and defining the limits of independent FIG. 3 shows the slide 'in a position in which air flow movement of said slide within said guideways. from a plenum above panel 10 toward the discharge port 3. The valve assembly recited in claim 2 wherein said 20 through the lower face of the panel will be partially marginal flange extend'sentirely around said ported base. obstructed by the valve. Portions of the valve extend 4. A ventilating panel comprising a first surface, a g partly across 'the valve ports 5d and 52 in the housing second surface opposite said first surface, said surfaces cup 26. Movement of the valve slide to the left as viewed being interconnected by a port spaced inwardly from the in FIG. 3 will further obstruct the openings 5t) and 52 margin of said panel, and a valve assembly mounted whereas mavemen't of the valve slide to the right will on said first surface adjacent one end of said port; said provide additional opening area. assembly including a housing having a base provided Thus, in the assembly, the flow of air from a plenum with an opening in registered relation with said 'port one above panel ltl to the ventilated spacebeneath panel it) end, and a marginal flange spaced from'said base openand served by the discharge openings 2tl can readily be ing and penetrating and frictionally engaging the portion controlled in a manner which permits the flow to be conof said panel circumjacent said port one end, and a valve trolled locally at each individual ceiling tile or panel slide carried by said housing and being manually 'slid provided with the valve. able independently thereof to efie'ct opening or closing While the flow been described as being from the of said baseopening. plenum above the ceiling downwardly into the ventilated 5. The panel recited in claim 4 wherein the extent to space beneath the ceiling, it will be understood that so which said flange projects from said'housing base is less far as;the present invention is concerned, it is equally thanthe distance between said panel surfaces. applicable 'to ventilating systems in which the flow is 6. The panel recited in claim 4 wherein said valve upward rather than downward. slide includes a protuberance which projects into the I claim: I panel port and is accessible from the opposite end of said 1. A valve assembly for use with a member having panel port to efiect movement of said slide. an apertured surface, said assembly comprising'a housing 7. The panel recited in claim 4 wherein portions of provided with a ported base and a marginal flange eX- said flange cooperate with said housing base to form a tending upwardly from one surface of said base, said guideway in which marginal portions of said valve slide housingadapted to bemounted on a member apertured are slidably accommodated and restrict said valve slide 'surface whereby a base port is adapted to register with to movement in a linear direction. 7 a member surface aperture and said marginal flange is 8. A method of making a unitary'valved panel for the adapted to penetrate a member apertured surface, porpartial enclosure of a ventilated space, said method comti'ons of said flange having inwardly extending projecprising prefabricating a sub-assembly of a housing having tions, said projections forming guideways; a valve slide a ported base and a marginal flange extending transversely carried bysaid housing against the surface of said base therefrom and a valve slide carried by said housing from which said flange extends, portions of said slide against said base and movable independently thereof to being disposed within said guideways whereby said slide open or close the base'port, prefabricating an'air circulais selectively movable independently of said housing 'in tion port 'in a panel, aligning the housing base port with the plane of said base ported surface in contact with said one end of said panel port, and driving the sub-assembly slide to efl ect opening and closingof said base port; and into said panel whereby said housing flange penetrates means provided on said housing and projecting into the and frictionally engages the portion of said panelcircumpath of movement of said slide and defining the limits 5O 'jacent said port and said valve'slide is adjacent saidpanel of independent movement of said slide within said guidesurface. ways. 9. The method recited in claim 8 wherein prefabricat- 2 valve-assembly for use with a member having an ing of said panel port includes 'countersinkingthe panel apertured surface, said assembly comprising a housing from the surface fromwhich'said sub asse'mbly is driven. provided with a ported base and a marginal flange exfending ipwa d y from one Surface of said base, Said keferenc'estfited in the file of this patent housing adapted to be mounted on a-member apertured a surface whereby 'a base port is adapted to register with v UNITED STATES PATENTS a'memb er surface aperture and said marginal flange is 2,692,547 EFiCSOIl 1954 adapted to penetrate a member aperture'd surface, por- 2,920,357 E CSOH 'Jan. 1 1960 tions of said flange having inwardly extending projections, 2,996,138

Schwartz et al Aug. '15, 1961 

1. A VALVE ASSEMBLY FOR USE WITH A MEMBER HAVING AN APETURED SURFACE, SAID ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A HOUSING PROVIDED WITH A PORTED BASE AND A MARGINAL FLANGE EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM ONE SURFACE OF SAID BASE, SAID HOUSING ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON A MEMBER APERTURED SURFACE WHEREBY A BASE PORT IS ADAPTED TO REGISTER WITH A MEMBER SURFACE APERTURE AND SAID MARGINAL FLANGE IS ADAPTED TO PENETRATE A MEMBER APERTURE SURFACE, PORTIONS OF SAID FLANGE HAVING INWARDLY EXTENDING PROJECTIONS, SAID PROJECTIONS FORMING GIDEWAYS; A VALVE SLIDE CARRIED BY SAID HOUSING AGAINST THE SURFACE OF SAID BASE FROM WHICH SAID FLANGE EXTENDS, PORTIONS OF SAID SLIDE BEING DISPOSED WITHIN SAID GUIDEWAYS WHEREBY SAID SLIDE IS SELECTIVELY MOVABLE INDEPENDENTLY OF SAID HOUSING IN THE PLANE OF SAID BASE PORTED SURFACE IN CONTACT WITH SAID SLIDE TO EFFECT OPENING AND CLOSING OF SAID BASE PORT; AND MEANS PROVIDED ON SAID HOUSING AND PROJECTING INTO THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID SLIDE AND DEFINING THE LIMITS OF INDEPENDENT MOVEMENT OF SAID SLIDE WITHIN SAID GUIDEWAYS. 